Chapter 68: The Secret Passage
Chapter 68: The Secret Passage
Within three days, Gu Wenfeng had learned all about the Sun family's past. The courtyard they lived in had been given to Sun Xun's branch of the family during a division of assets over thirty years ago. As the male owner of the house lived in the second courtyard, there was no study room here.
Lu Jiaxin had been pondering these past few days about how Sun Xun had discovered the secret passage two years after moving in. Given their financial situation, they wouldn't have had the money to renovate the house. And if the entrance to the secret passage had been uncovered during renovations, the other two branches of the family would have surely made a fuss about it.
According to custom, all descendants of the Sun family would have a share in any ancestral heirlooms. However, Lu Jiaxin hadn't heard of any disputes over inheritance in her previous life, so the other two branches of the family were likely unaware of the antiques and paintings before they were sold off.
Based on this information, Lu Jiaxin speculated that the entrance to the secret passage might have been exposed due to a collapse or some other reason. Sun Xun must have discovered and concealed it, which was why the other two branches remained in the dark.
Gu Wenfeng mentioned another curious detail, "The three kang beds in this courtyard were made before the liberation. Strangely enough, Sun Xun's grandfather made them himself, and no one knew he had this skill before then."
Lu Jiaxin's eyes lit up, "Didn't Sun Xun's grandfather meet with an accident and pass away without seeing his family one last time?"
Gu Wenfeng nodded, "Yes, he was on his way to buy grain when he encountered some fleeing Guomindang soldiers. Those men were like bandits, looting and pillaging as they went. Sun Xun's grandfather fell victim to them."
Lu Jiaxin now understood why no one else in the Sun family knew about the secret passage, "I think the entrance to the secret passage is most likely under the kang bed in my room."
Instead of making assumptions, Gu Wenfeng decided to let the evidence speak for itself. If they didn't find anything under Lu Jiaxin's kang bed, they would move on to the other two.
"When is Zhao Dajun leaving?" Lu Jiaxin asked. The renovation materials had arrived the afternoon before, and Zhao Dajun, along with some hired craftsmen, had finished repairing the roof over the last two days. All the doors and windows needed to be replaced, and that morning, they had paid a deposit for new ones to be installed. As for painting the walls, they could handle that themselves without needing to hire extra help.
If it weren't for their differing values, Lu Jiaxin would have been reluctant to let Zhao Dajun leave. Not only was he efficient, but he also had considerable physical strength.
"Tell him tomorrow, and he can leave the day after," Gu Wenfeng said.
"What reason should we give?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Gu Wenfeng knew that a flimsy excuse might arouse Zhao Dajun's suspicions about their true motives, "Tell him that his job is confirmed, and he needs to hurry back to start work."
"Oh? He's got a job now? What company is it?" Lu Jiaxin inquired.
Upon hearing that it was a transportation company in Zhao Dajun's hometown, she was quite pleased. Zhao Dajun could drive, and with his strength, he would be well-suited for long-distance transportation. Even if the company didn't work out, he could always buy his own truck with his savings or easily find work as a driver.
Zhao Dajun was overjoyed when he received the news the next day. Having stable employment would give him a sense of security. However, when he learned that he had to leave the following day, he objected, "Wenfeng, there's still so much work to do. It'll take you ages to finish it all by yourself. I have a reporting period of half a month, so if I leave five days early, we can get everything done together."
Gu Wenfeng had anticipated this response, "The reporting period is only a week, and you'll still need to find a place to stay after that. It's best to head back sooner rather than later."
With a reporting period of just one week, Zhao Dajun couldn't afford to delay any further. He reluctantly accepted the train ticket. However, that evening, he worked until past nine o'clock and would have continued through the night if the old lady from the second courtyard hadn't come to scold them.
The next day, Lu Jiaxin and Xue Mao accompanied Zhao Dajun to see him off. Knowing his frugal nature, Lu Jiaxin had bought him fruits, biscuits, and other snacks for the journey. Xue Mao had also fried thirty pancakes and boiled twenty eggs.
Zhao Dajun couldn't refuse their kindness, but he felt compelled to offer some words of advice, "Lu Jiaxin, earning money isn't easy. You should be more careful with your spending. Otherwise, when you really need money, you might not have any, and by then, it'll be too late for regrets."
Lu Jiaxin understood his good intentions and smiled, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Zhao Dajun, if you ever encounter any difficulties, you can come to me. I'll do my best to help you."
Zhao Dajun started to refuse, but Gu Wenfeng cut in, "Dajun, thank Lu Jiaxin properly."
From their interactions over the past few days, Gu Wenfeng could tell that Lu Jiaxin was intelligent, capable, and thoughtful. Most importantly, she dared to think and act. With her family background, she was bound to go far in life. Her promise might prove useful in the future.
Zhao Dajun was perplexed by Gu Wenfeng's insistence, but he eventually thanked Lu Jiaxin.
Gu Wenfeng had purchased a sleeper ticket for Zhao Dajun, and Lu Jiaxin paid for the fare. As Gu Wenfeng settled into his seat, he felt that the luggage was taking up too much space, so he placed the snacks and fruits Lu Jiaxin had given Zhao Dajun into his bag. To his surprise, when he opened the bag, he found an envelope on top containing a stack of money.
Although Gu Wenfeng and Zhao Wenfeng had been sent by the Xie family, Lu Jiaxin felt it was only right to express her gratitude for their help over the past few days, which included running errands and assisting with the house renovations. However, she knew that Zhao Dajun was stubborn and wouldn't accept a gift directly, so she had tried to be subtle.
Zhao Dajun shook his head as he held the money, "Ai, this girl is too free with her money. With such a malicious stepmother, she should be saving for the future instead."
That stepmother was cunning and manipulative, and Lu Jiaxin was no match for her. Zhao Dajun suspected that once Lu Jiaxin came of age, her father wouldn't give her any money, but he had tried to advise her on this matter several times to no avail. He didn't plan to use this money himself and would look for an opportunity to return it.
With Zhao Dajun's departure, Lu Jiaxin could now proceed without any concerns. Upon returning home, the three of them began dismantling the kang beds.
As the opening of the secret passage was revealed, Gu Wenfeng gave Lu Jiaxin a meaningful look. Before coming here, he had thought that Lu Jiaxin, despite her maturity, was still a child at heart, and that her belief in hidden treasures within the secret passage was naive. He had gone along with her plan to investigate, thinking that it would help her let go of her fantasies and return to Sizhi City sooner. But now, it seemed that the Sun family truly had a secret passage.
And if the secret passage was real, the existence of hidden treasures was highly likely.
Xue Mao's mouth hung open in astonishment, as if he could fit an egg inside, "Sister, where did you get this information from?"
Lu Jiaxin, of course, couldn't reveal that her knowledge came from her past life, as it was her most guarded secret, "Let's go and take a look."
Gu Wenfeng shook his head, "This secret passage has likely been sealed for many years, and we don't know if it's safe. Let's let some air circulate first. After lunch, I'll go down and check it out. If it's safe, then you two can join me."
Lu Jiaxin understood his concern—the lack of ventilation in the secret passage might have caused a buildup of toxic gases. She valued her life too much to take such a risk, nor did she want to put them in danger, "There's no rush. We'll wait until the afternoon when most people are off work, and then we'll investigate. That way, it'll be safer."
If Sun Xun hadn't encountered any problems, they should be fine. However, they weren't in a hurry, and it wouldn't hurt to let the passage air out for half a day.
Gu Wenfeng was relieved that Lu Jiaxin wasn't insisting on going down immediately, and he appreciated her sensible approach despite her fiery temper, "Alright, we'll take a look in the evening."
(End of Chapter)
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